The week had flown by. It was already the day before Ron's tryout with the Cannons. Harry and Ginny had been helping him all week to prepare. They had even implemented some new drills into their Gryffindor quidditch practices that were designed specifically to test Ron's keeper skills. He was playing brilliantly; the extra boost of confidence that came from being asked to tryout for the Cannons was a major boon. He just needed to play like this at this tryout and he'd have it in the bag, in Harry's opinion.

Classes for today had ended and it was just the three of them out on the pitch and Hermione watching in the stands. Ron could block nearly all of the goals Harry tried to make, which wasn't surprising as he was more skilled as a seeker. Ginny, on the other hand, was still managing to sink about 50 percent of the goals she attempted. This frustrated Ron, but Harry kept reminding him that he was blocking 50 percent of the shots fired at him by the reserve chaser for the HolyHead Harpies; not just some kid. This only appeased Ron slightly; after all, Ginny was still his younger sister. Despite what a talented player she had turned out to be, part of him still felt like he should be able to play better against her. They practiced until it got dark and they were at risk of missing dinner entirely if they didn't go in soon.

"Well," Ron said with a note of finality, "I guess we'll know tomorrow if it all paid off or not. Thank you for helping me train for it."

"Of course," Ginny said. "You'll be great!"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Just be confident and you'll be amazing."

"Hermione is going to come with me for a bit of moral support," Ron said. "But I'm not sure she is even allowed to come watch the actual tryouts. She might have to wait somewhere for me."

"We'll come too, if you'd like," Ginny offered.

"Nah, I don't even know if you could watch. Besides, it might be boring," Ron said.

"Well, if you change your mind, the offer still stands," Harry said. "Why don't you and Hermione go have dinner, Ginny and I will clean up this equipment."

"I can help," Ron said, as he stooped to pick up the ball crate.

"We've got it," Harry said, with a note of insistence in his voice. Ron, finally learning that sometimes Harry and Ginny needed odd quiet moments alone, took the cue and set off for the castle with Hermione.

"Want to fly a bit more?" Ginny asked, having understood Harry's dismissal of Ron.

Harry nodded happily at her and together they rose back into the air. It was twilight. The cool spring air was rapidly becoming cold as night fell. The sky was lovely in hues of purple, pink and deep indigo. It was getting dark quickly, but there was still enough light to fly by for a little bit longer. Harry took off flying out of the pitch toward the nearby woods, Ginny took off after him. They were playing one of their favorite games together. She would chase him for a while and then they'd switch. They weren't trying to actually catch one another, more like lead the other on a chase in which they could have time to admire the other in flight. Harry often started this game, loving when it was his turn to chase after his wife. She was a magnificent flyer and the tricks and maneuvers that she could do on her broom never failed to excite him; it was like their own brand of foreplay.

When it grew too dark to continue the game, they landed and finished cleaning up the equipment they'd used for their training session with Ron. Ginny stripped off a layer of clothing when they'd landed and, clad as she was now in just a thin tee-shirt, she was displaying a fair amount of bare skin. Harry watched greedily as she bent to retrieve a quaffle, inadvertently flashing more cleavage than usual. Catching his stare, she straightened up and winked at him. "Like what you see, Mr. Potter?" she asked tauntingly.

"Always," Harry replied with a grin.

"How would you feel about skipping dinner in the Great Hall tonight?" Ginny asked leadingly.

"Fine," Harry said, following her.

They returned the crate of balls to the equipment shed and walked quickly toward the castle, anxious to be back in the privacy of their dorm. Already fully intoxicated with her, she cruelly baited him further by carefully taking down the braid she'd worn her hair in for their practice and shaking it free as they walked. She knew there was something about that action that Harry enjoyed. As they entered the front doors, Harry took her hand and began pulling her more quickly toward their dorm.

"Potter," Headmistress McGonagall's voice rang across the entry hall. "Might I have word?"

Ginny stifled a giggle as Harry's head whipped comically around. He glanced between his wife and the Headmistress before resignedly turned back toward the Headmistress and saying, "Yes, of course." He leaned toward Ginny and said regretfully, "Sorry, I'll meet you up there."

"In the bathtub," Ginny added with a roguish grin and a wink before asking, "You aren't in trouble are you?"

"I don't think so," Harry replied. He squared his shoulders as he watched Ginny's retreating figure before following the Headmistress toward her office.

Once in the familiar circular office, he settled himself in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "I wasn't interrupting anything was I?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes. "I had rather hoped to meet with you earlier in the afternoon, but I missed you after your last class. I take it you were helping Ron to train a bit more for tomorrow."

Choosing to avoid the comment about interrupting anything altogether, Harry said, "Yes, Ginny and I have been helping him practice all week."

"Very well," she said happily. "Well, I have something I would like to propose to you. I have been looking over matters that pertain to our next school year and have come to some decisions." Harry nodded and she continued, "As you know, due to personal reasons, Professor Embers did not last very long into the first term and I ended up taking back the roles of transfiguration teacher and head of house for Gryffindor on top of my role as that of Headmistress. It has been a rather weighty burden and I'm already looking for my replacement in my teaching role. Additionally, I have made a decision about who I think should be head of house for Gryffindor."

She gave him a rather searching look and he began to see what this meeting might be about. "Aren't you worried that I might be a bit young for that job? After all, many of the students left in Gryffindor next year will have gone to school along side me for several years."

"I did consider that, but, Potter, you are very well respected and looked up to. I don't think you'd have a problem commanding their obedience. It will work in your favor that you were Head Boy this year and have not lived in the dorm with everyone for nearly two years now. You are already in an elevated position in their eyes," She explained.

"But, I'll be just out of school myself," Harry argued. "It is already highly irregular to have someone of my age in a teaching role, but also as a head of house …"

Headmistress McGonagall interrupted him then, "Harry, I would not be considering you for this position if I didn't think you could handle it. Actually, there are many qualities that I think make you the perfect candidate for the job. You are Harry Potter; everyone knows who you are and what you did; what student would dare rebel too harshly against you? You are still young and remember what it is like to be young and a student in this castle; you will be able to anticipate how they think and act. Above all else, you are a Gryffindor through and through; what better role model and mentor could our Gryffindor students have?"

It wasn't that he didn't want the job. More so, he was overwhelmed by the faith she was putting in him. What if he failed? He raised his eyes off his hands and asked, "Are you offering it to me or informing me that this is what is expected of me?"

"Harry, I would be honored if you would consider the role of the head of house for Gryffindor. I think you're the ideal man for the job. I will understand if you need some time to think it over before accepting or declining," she said firmly. "One thing to keep in mind, as head of house, you'd be expected to live in the castle for the vast majority of the school year. I know you and Ginny own a house in London, but if you accepted this role, it wouldn't work for you to floo or apparate back and forth. Ginny is, of course, welcome to live here with you. Perhaps we could find her something to do in the castle during her off-season."

"I am interested in the position," Harry said. "But, I need to talk to Ginny about it before I decide anything. Thank you for considering me, I truly am honored."

McGonagall smiled in a way that said she was sure that things would go the way she wanted them to before saying, "Thank you for your time, Harry. I will let you get back to whatever you and Ginny were running off to do."

Harry blushed brightly as he closed her office door behind him. He hurried back to their dorm and let himself in. The bathroom door was open a crack and he could hear the unmistakable sound of water running into a bathtub. He shed his outerwear by the door and continued removing clothes as he moved toward the bathroom. He closed and locked the door behind him before shedding the last few bits of remaining clothing and stepping down into the huge sunken bathtub. It wasn't quite as large as the tub in the prefects bathroom, but nearly. Ginny was sitting, waiting for him on one of the benches around the side of the tub. Harry settled himself on the bench beside her and let the hot water warm his sore muscles.

"So," Ginny said eagerly. "Were you in trouble?"

"No," Harry said pensively. "She had something she wanted to ask me."

Deciding that sitting beside Harry on the bench was not quite close enough, she settled herself on his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, "Well, are you going to tell me about it?"

"You're definitely okay with living at the castle full time next school year, right?" Harry asked tentatively, threading his hands into her damp hair and dropping a kiss on her shoulder.

"Of course, we already talked about this. I'm happy to live wherever you are," Ginny said, stroking her hands over his abs.

"Good," Harry said. "She asked me if I'd consider succeeding her as head of Gryffindor House."

Ginny grinned delightedly at him and said, "Wow! Coming from her that is a real honor. She must think very highly of you."

"I'm worried that I'm too young and the students will try to walk all over me," Harry said, letting his eyes drop to the bubbles between their chests.

"Not you," Ginny said nudging him. "Not after what you did last year. Everyone respects you too much."

"That's what she said," Harry said, still not sounding convinced.

"Well, she's right," Ginny said encouragingly, "You'll be wonderful at it."

"I haven't accepted yet," Harry said.

"Why not?" Ginny asked sternly.

"I wanted to run it by you first. She said that I'd have to live in the castle for the vast majority of the school year and I wanted to double check that you were okay with that," Harry said.

"I'm glad actually," Ginny confessed. "I've been reading through more of the introductory materials the Harpies sent me now that I'm officially part of the team; it sounds like there could be nights I need to stay with the team and you'd be alone."

"Like when?" Harry asked. "I get that you need to be on premise for the entirety of the training camp, but when else?"

"Sometimes there are games that we need to travel to other countries for and there are regulations on travel and visa issues. In those instances, I'll just have to travel and stay with the team," Ginny explained.

"Oh, right," Harry said, sounding a little sad.

"It won't be very often. I'll just like knowing that you'll be here surrounded by staff and students and not home in London alone," Ginny said.

"McGonagall also said that maybe they could find you something to do here at the castle during your off-season," Harry said, "When I accept the position, I could mention to her that you have an interest in healing. Maybe you could assist Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing."

"That would be great," Ginny said excitedly. "Off-season is going to be boring if all I have to look forward to is knitting and shagging you every chance I get."

Harry snorted with laughter before slipping a hand between her thighs and asking, "Oh really, shagging me is boring?"

Her eyes darkened as a gasp escaped her lips. She stilled his hand momentarily to say, "No, shagging you is one of the best reasons for my existence; but you'll be so busy being a professor and a head of house next year, I'm going to have to find more ways to keep myself busy during the off season."

"I know," Harry said with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I was teasing."

"You may proceed with proving to me how wrong that statement is though," Ginny said, leading his other hand to her breast.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next morning they dragged themselves out of bed earlier than they would have liked to on a Saturday morning in order to have breakfast with Ron before he and Hermione set off for his try out at the Cannons' facilities.

When they arrived in the Great Hall, Hermione and Ron were already at the table. Hermione was urging a white-faced Ron to at least have some toast and pumpkin juice.

"He's barely said two words to me this morning," a clearly anxious Hermione hissed across the table. "We need to snap him out of this."

"I'm fine," Ron snapped at her. "And in case you didn't notice, I'm right here and can hear every word you're saying."

Ginny smirked and said, "He seems to be back to his old self."

Ignoring her, Ron leaned across the table toward Harry and asked, "Why am I doing this? I'm bound to be complete rubbish."

"You'll be fine. You just have to remember to be confident," Harry said.

"How am I supposed to be confident when I feel like I'm going to puke my guts out at any moment?" Ron said peevishly.

"You are an excellent player as long as you don't think about it too hard. Just play, okay?" Harry said.

"Okay," Ron said then repeated. "Just play, got it."

"And eat some breakfast," Harry said forcefully.

Ron turned to Hermione and took the toast and juice she'd been trying to get him to take ever since they'd come down for breakfast. She sighed a little but smiled gratefully at Harry.

They saw Ron and Hermione off in the entry hall. They were going to walk to just outside the school gates to apperate to the Cannon's facilities.

Ginny hugged Ron and whispered, "You can do this! Good luck!"

Harry slung an arm around Ron and said, "Just play."

"Thanks guys," Ron said, then he and Hermione set off.

"Well," Ginny said, "what shall we do to pass the time until they get back?"

"What are the options?" Harry asked, as they automatically began walking in the direction of their dorm room.

"We could nap or study or visit Hagrid or go for a fly or …" Ginny counted off on her fingers.

"I vote for nap," Harry said with a yawn.

"Me too," Ginny agreed.

A few hours later, Harry woke up. Ginny was still peacefully sleeping snuggled into his side. He looked at his watch and saw that it was just past when lunch started down in the Great Hall. He wondered how long a tryout could take? He thought about waking Ginny up and heading down to the Great Hall and maybe Ron and Hermione would turn up soon. Instead, he closed his eyes again, but moments later, his rest was interrupted by loud pounding on their door.

"Gin," Harry said, urgently prodding her awake, "I think Ron and Hermione are back."

The two raced out of the bedroom and flung open the door to reveal an ecstatic Ron and Hermione beaming at them.

"You got it!" Harry shouted.

"Yes!" Ron shouted back.

"He was brilliant!" Hermione said proudly.

"I knew you could do it," Ginny said. "Tell us all about it."

"Sit down," Harry said, gesturing them toward the couch and chairs by the fire. "I'll get some butterbeers."

"Obviously I won the position by blocking the most goals, but I really owe my success to Cormac McLaggen," Ron said happily, before taking a huge swig of butterbeer.

"What?" Harry and Ginny asked in surprised unison.

Ron chuckled and explained, "Last year, most of the professional teams ended up canceling their season due to the war. Cormac apparently had talked the Cannons into letting him tryout for the following year despite his not being on the Gryffindor team his seventh year. So he was one of the other finalists."

"I don't understand how he could contribute to your success," Ginny said.

"Can I tell this part?" Hermione asked excitedly. At a nod from Ron, she continued, "Well, when we first got there, we were sent to a sort of waiting area and whom did we see, but Cormac. He comes over and starts being his usual slimy self. He throws an arm around my shoulders and obviously thinks that I'm going to fall all over myself because he is trying out for a professional team."

"I felt like my head was going to explode," Ron said. "I still can't stand that guy. Hermione plays it cool as a cucumber though. She brushes off his arm and comes over to me. She wraps her arms around me and says to Cormac, 'How ironic that you and my boyfriend, Ronald, are going up against each other today.' "

"You can tell that Cormac is beyond stunned that we are together," Ron continued. "But he didn't say much to us after that. Hermione continues being all touchy-feely the whole time we wait and you can tell that Cormac is getting angrier by the second. By the time we went out to the pitch for the tryout, he was in a right state."

"He totally bombed," Hermione said with a giggle. "I've never seen such bad keeping."

"The other bloke was pretty good though," Ron admitted. "I was actually worried that he was going to beat me, but, in the end, I saved four more goals than he did."

"Congratulations, Ron," Ginny said. "The Weasley family has two professional Quidditch players!"

"That's amazing," Harry said. "I'm a little bit jealous I'm not playing too."

"It's not too late, Harry," Ron said. "The Cannon recruitment representative knows I'm friends with you. He asked if I would extend you an offer to join the team as reserve seeker."

"You know why I can't," Harry said a little sadly.

"I know," Ron said firmly.

"But," Ginny said proudly, "guess who McGonagall asked to succeed her as head of house for Gryffindor?"

"Harry, that's excellent!" Hermione said.

The four of them spent the afternoon talking about what the next chapter in their lives would bring. As bittersweet as it would be when school was over,there was much excitement ahead of them all.

A/N: First off, huge thanks to my beta, TerraFerme, for editing this chapter and getting rid of all my pesky little errors. Secondly, I am trying to earn brownie points with all of you by getting this next chapter out quickly to make up for my huge delay on the previous chapter. How am I doing? I like this chapter a lot. I think the next chapter might be a bit of a time jump…don't worry, nothing huge. If you have ideas for me of certain things you want me to include before the end of the school year and graduation hits, let me know. As always, THANK YOU so much for reading and reviewing it means so much to me!

By the way, my anonymous reviews are currently disabled. I have someone spamming me and they have forced me to disable. I'm so sorry. Hopefully anyone wishing to leave a review will be encouraged to sign in or create an account so you can leave a signed review! Sorry again.